We don't talk about it
by peetz5050
Summary: So what's the story with this mysterious third Morgendorffer sister?
1. Chapter 1

**We don't talk about it... (a Daria fanfic) Chapter 1**

_This is fanfiction, done for fun and no money is being made. Daria and related characters are the property of Glenn Eichler and MTV/Viacom._

'Jane'

'Daria'

'We've been friends now for two months, right?'

'Yep, so long as you keep up the weekly payments of pizza, snark and bad movies.'

Daria smiled at this, Jane always lightened her mood, that's why she had to so this. 'I... how can I put this... I've been holding something back from you... I'm sorry.'

Quinn, who had been sitting on the other couch reading a magazine raised her head at this 'Daria!' She said with a warning note in her voice. 'Don't! Mom will go ballistic!'

Daria sighed. 'I talked it over with her first, Quinn... she's ok with it... that is... she grudgingly agreed to me discussing this dirty little family secret with my best friend... if I swore her to secrecy first. I'm sorry Jane... I trust you implicitly but my Mom...'

'Hey Amiga, don't sweat it... all families have something. If it's not something you want to tell me it's ok, I get it, no problem, forget it, ok?'

Daria smiled sadly at her. 'Thank you for that... but I want to tell you... I want to be able to talk about it in front of you... I don't want to keep secrets from you... pathetic huh?' Quinn snorted and went to go upstairs muttering something that sounded like 'Losers!'

She stopped three steps up and turned back. 'Daria... if one word of this gets out in school...'

Jane looked at her cooly. 'Listen Daria's cousin, or whatever. Daria is my best friend, not that I'd expect you to understand what that means but I'll tell you this, anything she wants me to keep secret I'll take to my grave... unless it's about you wearing falsies, that I'd have to put on the bulletin board.' Quinn stamped her feet in exasperation and turned to go to her room. Jane looked at Daria. 'Amiga... I mean it, you don't have to...'

Daria waved her hand to stop her. 'Jane, I accept your word, sit down, let me tell you the story.'

Jane and Daria sat so they could look at each other. Daria began. 'Jane, I have a sister.' Jane turned her eyes up the stairs after Quinn. Daria shook her head. 'No, I mean I have another sister, Ronnie... Veronica... we call her Ronnie.'

Jane raised her eyebrows. 'Given up for adoption? Stolen in infancy by pirates? The invisible woman? What?'

Daria smiled again. 'Figment of my imagination? No Jane, she's real, she just doesn't live with us... she's... she's in a home... an institution to be exact.'

'Oooookay. Physical or mental?' Jane asked gently.

'Mental.' Daria answered with a shrug. 'That is, she's... what's the pc word these days? I don't know... she's not retarded... or autistic or deficient... actually it's more like autism but elective autism... if that makes any sense?'

Jane thought about this for a while, knowing she should say something but not wanting to just blurt something out, mental illness was scary and she had no experience dealing with it, after a minute or two she told her friend exactly that. Daria stood and put a reassuring hand on Jane's shoulder and said 'You and me both. It's been two years and I still don't know how to deal with it... don't think I'm trying to dump this on you like you can fix things or something... I just needed you to understand how we are here sometimes... especially around the time of a family visit... it's gets like a minefield around here... the whole family gets PMT... pre and post mental asylum tension... it is like visiting a well kept corner of hell with manicured lawns and ivy on the very high walls. That's the reason we moved North, mental health care around Highland was worse than a Turkish prison, the doc's here think, think mind you, that in time they might get through to her... maybe even get her back to us.'

'I take it... what am I saying? What... she can't... you can't take care of her here?'

'We did try at the beginning, but she's twelve now and tall for her age... a handful... she won't do anything for herself... like she's catatonic... I mean anything!'

Jane made a face at the implications of that. 'Two years?... was it a gradual thing or...'

'No, sudden... you see she was a twin, her and Vanessa, two peas in a pod. They were all those cliché things, halfway telepathic with each other, own secret language, the lot.'

'Accident?'

'No actually. Vanessa got sick. It was weird, they did everything together, caught colds together, if one fell down and skinned her knees the other had to copy her so they had matching scabs. But Vanessa got leukemia and Ronnie didn't... one outta two ain't bad huh? But it is... I lost a sister and Ronnie was not the spare. The thing is... the terrible thing is... Ronnie lost her twin... and on that day she stopped... just stopped... like a toy with no batteries... she closed up and none of us... nobody... could get through to her.' There were tears in Daria's brown eyes now, her usual monotone forgotten as she became more and more upset.

Jane was appalled but also gladdened at this display of emotion from her taciturn friend. She felt privileged, trusted. She shouldered the burden of care and tried to comfort her friend, catching her in a hug. It took a few minutes but Daria calmed back down and resumed her normal demeanor. She thanked Jane and tried to apologize for losing it.

'Don't give me that baloney, Morgendorffer. This is real... a real thing... a real person you care about in... I don't like to think about where she is. I'd be climbing the walls if it was me.' She paused and thought for a while. 'Hey maybe I could go with you next time... I'd like to meet her.'

'What? Why though?'

'She's a part of you, part of this family I'm kinda attached to by proxy... besides... I'm a nosy bitch and I want to know what she looks like.' She grinned.

Daria gave a watery smile back. 'I have pictures...'

'NO... I want to see her, meet her.'

'Sure?' At Jane's nod Daria continued. 'OK, be here 9a.m. next Sunday. It's a two hour drive.'

'What! You want me to get up before noon on the weekend? You're pushing it Morgendorffer, you're pushing it.' But she grinned while she said it.


	2. Chapter 2

**We don't talk about it... - P2 - On Mature Reflection**

'What is SHE doing here?'

'She's coming with me, Quinn. Deal.'

'Daria... I know you wanted to tell your little friend but I don't think...' Helen then looked, really looked, at her eldest daughter's expression and the unspoken plea in her eyes and relented. Jake started to object too but Helen put her hand on his and squeezed, making him look at her, then at Daria, then he also went quiet and started the car. Quinn raised her eyes to heaven then shook her head and put her headphones on and resolutely stared out of the window on her side of the car. Jane looked at Daria and nodded to her friend, then surreptitiously gave her hand a squeeze too.

It was not a pleasant trip, it rained most of the way and everyone sat in their own personal pit of silence. As they neared their destination the sun finally broke through the cloud cover but it was watery and wan, no defense against the chill wind that cut mercilessly through any layers of clothing and seemed to get into their bones. They all half ran from the parking lot up to the imposing front door of the Victorian mansion that served as the entrance to the austere modern facility behind it.

'And who is this charming young lady?' Doctor Thewlis asked as they filed into his office.

'This is my friend, Jane Lane.' Daria answered. The doctor raised an eyebrow and smiled, having gotten to know the family and being concerned for Daria's solitary nature.

'Well you're welcome here Jane Lane... No flash photography and no throwing peanuts at the inmates.'

Jane flushed crimson and lowered her head. 'I... I'm not here to sightsee.' She looked sideways at Daria. 'Just to support my friend...'

The doctor seemed satisfied. He turned to Helen. 'Won't you all please sit... I have some news, some of it good, some of it not so good.' He paused for a moment, his elbows on the table and his fingers steepled in front of his mouth. 'Doctor Steevens got a reaction from Ronnie during therapy this week.' He stopped again while the family digested this. 'Unfortunately it was a negative reaction... she threw a tantrum in fact... however it is the first voluntary movement she's made since she came here last May.'

Helen looked confused 'But surely even that's a good thing? I mean... she was like...'

'The lights were on but nobody was home.' Daria finished for her. 'Doesn't it mean she's still in there? Is she fighting to get out... or fighting to stay in... they... I mean she, could be so stubborn...'

'That's a very good insight, Daria. I believe she is, in fact, doing this to herself... that doesn't make it any less of a real problem... I don't wish to alarm you and she's quite safe here but I think an adult in her frame of mind would have attempted suicide... being a child she's just not strong enough... or perhaps brave enough... to physically harm herself... this is more like a hunger strike. It's the slow road to that same place.'

The family were all quite upset at this and Jane noticed that even tight lipped Quinn had tears in her eyes at the thought of losing another sister. 'How do they live with it?' She thought to herself. 'What choice do they have.' She felt like an intruder in someone else's drama... she hadn't even seen a photo of Ronnie yet, just a couple of pictures of the twins when they were much younger. Not for the first time she regretted her decision to accompany the Morgendorffers on this visit. Jake spoke up this time.

'What caused the tantrum, do you know?'

'A compact mirror, would you believe. Just a cheap little plastic one. Sarah, Doctor Steevens, put it up in front of her so she could see her reflection. Ronnie screamed and knocked it away, she kept on screaming for a while and hitting her head and her face, we had to give her a mild sedative to get her to calm down before she did any damage... she managed to give herself a black eye just the same. The ironic thing... what prompted Sarah to try the mirror in the first place... is that Ronnie has this favorite spot out in the greenhouse where she seems calmer and more rested. There's a small ornamental fountain with a pool in front of it, she seems quite content with her reflection in the water. We wheel her out there every day, she's there now in fact, shall we go?'

Jane followed the doctor and the Morgendorffers through the old part of the building and through a pair of french windows into the 'greenhouse', what would more properly be called a conservatory, made of wrought iron and glass, two storey's high and larger than a tennis court. It was full of semi-tropical plants, quiet except for the gurgle of a small fountain that gushed from an ornamental lion's mouth into a stone lined pool in the center of the floor. By the pool was a wheelchair on which a figure sat, leaning forward, her arms resting on the edge of the pool as she gazed listlessly at the ever-flowing water. A nurse sat on a bench nearby with a book on her lap, she rose and greeted the doctor, said something to him Jane couldn't hear and then left.

Jane hung back as Helen, then each of the others, went up to the girl and put their arms around her and kissed the top of her head. None of them got a reaction that she could see. She approached slowly and got a good look at the girl. She knew the girl was being properly looked after but her first thought on seeing her was that she looked like one of those survivors of Auswitch or Belsen that she'd seen in that film in history class. Skin stretched paper thin over bone thin hands, eyes shrunken into what should have been a beautiful face, a Morgendorffer sister face, the face that Quinn made the most of and Daria tried to hide. The girl's hair was a shade darker than Quinn's but much lighter than Daria's, her eyes green. Her hair was cropped short, giving her a gamine, boyish look, delicately framed oval spectacles rested on her nose. She was dressed in pajamas and a robe. Fluffy pink slippers incongruous on this wasted wreck of a girl. Jane felt tears in her eyes.

After a while Daria called her over. Daria was kneeling by her sister's side trying, and failing, to make eye contact. She said 'Ronnie, remember how I never had any real friends in Highland? How you and Quinn and... Nessa... (no reaction) used to call me the Loner Chick? Well that's not true any more, I have a friend now, a really good friend. Would you like to meet her?' Daria caught Jane's hand and pulled her down beside her. 'Ronnie, this is Jane. Jane, this is my baby sister, Ronnie, say hi.'

Jane took Ronnie's hand in her own. 'Hi Ronnie, nice to meet you, I've heard so much about you from Daria, she likes to talk about you, she loves you, you know?' (Still no reaction, nothing). Jane backed off and sat on the bench lately vacated by the nurse. Doctor Thewlis stood to one side watching as the family members took turns sitting with Ronnie and reporting little bits of personal news. Quinn monopolized that, of course, rabbiting on about the important affairs of the Fashion Club. Watching this little tableau vivant Jane felt inspired and took her sketchpad out of her backpack. Using a 2B pencil she dashed off quick sketches of each of the family members, trying to capture expressions and gestures. After a while Helen went off for another consultation with the doctor and Daria and Quinn stood back, together but not speaking. Jane moved around to improve the composition as Jake sat on the ground by his youngest daughter, holding her hand and looking up into her face, saying nothing. He sat like that for long enough for Jane to do a detailed sketch, getting in some details of the conservatory and stone fountain so that she'd have the basis for a painting.

Then she turned to a fresh page and with the help of some of her sketches mapped out another drawing, Ronnie with her family about her gazing into the fountain, this time though she changed it so Ronnie's reflection showed her healthy and whole, smiling, the girl she should have been. Jane got in quite close beside Jake so she could get the details of the face right. Daria and Quinn had started to argue, they were getting loud in the almost chapel like surroundings. Jane put down her pad and went with Jake to break it up.

'You never liked her anyway, you were always complaining about the noise they made and the mess they made. You and your books, sitting around reading and whining... at least I tried to be a sister to them, tried to teach them how to dress properly and look after their hair. What did you do? Call them dirty little brats and tell them to go play in the swamp where the alligators would get them. Well are you happy now, Daria?'

Jane was appalled as every one of Quinn's words seemed to strike her friend like a blow, there was obviously some truth in the barbed words or Daria would not have looked so stricken, so ashamed. Daria didn't spear Quinn with one of her zingers as she usually would, she just sat on the floor with a thump and started to cry. Quinn realized she might have gone too far and was reaching for Daria when Jane noticed that Jake was not moving, he stood, stunned, staring at the wall, then he slowly turned around.

Jane followed his gaze. Ronnie had Jane's sketchbook in her hands and she was weeping. There was no doubt now, she HAD spoken. The bolt that had skewered Jake to the floor was the sound of his youngest daughter speaking her first word in almost two years. As she stared at Jane's drawing of her reflection she had said 'Nessa.'

* * *

_Disclaimer: I am not even remotely connected to a mental health care professional - just a wannabe storyteller._


	3. Chapter 3

_**We don't talk about it P3**_

_I was re-reading TAG's "Darius" and a line in it, where Jake is humming "When Johnny comes marching home again", got the old brain thinking about this story so here's another bit:_

_**When Ronnie came marching home...**_

'Well Quinn, what are you going to do? You won't even acknowledge me as your sister, what are you going to tell Little Miss Snotty and her ass-lickers when Ronnie comes to live here?'

'Gawd, Daria! You just have no clue what it takes to be popular!' Quinn whined. 'I'll think of something, OK?'

Daria was about to make a sarcastic comeback to that opening when she remembered her promise. 'Damn conscience!' She thought to herself. 'Look, I have an idea, just hear me out.' She added, holding up a hand to stop Quinn's impending blow-up. 'Call a meeting here, in this house at a time when Mom is here, working on her legal briefs. Have her say something like "Don't mind me girls, I'm just preparing this case for defamation of character, those suckers are gonna be working for me for the rest of their miserable lives, they'll wish they never said a bad word about anyone." That'll get them in the right frame of mind. Then do what Mark Twain said and just tell them the truth, the whole truth, I'm not taking any more bribes when Ronnie's here, we have two sisters each or none at all, capisce?'

Quinn loooked thoughtful for a few moments as she digested this. She'd made some solemn promises of her own and was probably trying to think of a way to weasel her way out of it. Finally she said. 'Dammit Daria you're giving me frown lines! Right! Fine! What-everrrr! Do it your way, gawd! I need anti-wrinkle cream, I hope you're happy!' With that she turned and flounced upstairs.

Daria turned to talk to Jane only to find her doubled up with laughter. Daria put her hands on her hips, gave Jane her sourest look and said. 'Well I'm glad I'm keeping you so amused, Ms. Lane. Now if you can pull yourself together we're supposed to be studying for finals, that C average in Math won't maintain itself you know.'

She started toward the kitchen when she saw her mother just inside the door, she'd obviously heard everything and was smirking at Daria knowingly. She finally cracked a smile and said. 'Harvard Law, Daria, think about it, it's in your blood.'

It was two weeks until the end of sophomore year. Two more weeks of school then one more week until Ronnie came home from the hospital on a trial basis. Everyone was tense, nervous, irritable, downright scared... and thrilled. They could never be a complete family again, Nessa was never coming back but at least they might get Ronnie back, at least for a while, hopefully forever. Each and every member of the family was constantly thinking to themselves 'Don't mess this up! I hope he/she doesn't mess this up! Please God, don't let us mess up... please!'

Jane was now an honorary Morgendorffer. She all but lived in Glen Oaks now and only slept, some of the time, in Howard Drive. Jake and Helen doted on her and had even talked to Trent about setting up a college fund for her. A little embarrassed at first Jane now accepted it with good grace. Other than her brother Trent her family was virtually non-existent, her parents spending most of the year out of the country so, odd though they were the Morgendorffers gave her comfort and support, company, pizza... and love.

For the umpteenth time Quinn stopped her pacing and glared out the window. 'Where ARE they? What's keeping THEM?'

'Mom said four o'clock, it's only quarter to.' Daria answered calmly. She was sitting in the love seat near the door reading a book, or at least looking as if she was reading a book, Jane hadn't failed to notice that Daria the speedreader hadn't turned the page for yonks. She was as wound up about this as Quinn. Jane wasn't immune to the mood either. She had long since given up all hope of finishing her watercolor and was wondering if she had time to go for a run before Jake and Helen returned.

'They're here, they're here!' Quinn shouted as she ran to the door, ripping it open so fast it banged off the doorstop and sprang shut behind her. Sighing Daria reopened it at a more sedate pace and stepped out to greet her sister. Quinn's friend Stacy, the one who hadn't dropped her friend when she'd been put on "Fashion Sabbatical" for unspecified offenses, stood beside Jane wringing her hands nervously, she was the only one who hadn't yet met Ronnie. Jane patted her on the back kindly. 'Relax, kid.' She said. 'It'll be fine.'

It seemed like ages before Daria, holding Ronnie's right hand, led the family back into the house. Quinn had a firm grasp of her left hand and was chattering away like a tribe of monkeys, talking about all the things they were going to do together, just the two of them, of course.

Jane watched as Ronnie's eyes adjusted to the lower light after the bright sunshine outside. The now thirteen year old looked a lot better than she had when Jane had first seen her last November. Although still thin she had filled out nicely and was developing what was promising to be a lovely figure. Although the youngest she was the tallest of the sisters and only a fraction short of Jane's five foot nine. She seemed nervous in the unfamiliar surroundings as she gazed about. Her delicate pixie-like features broke into a shy smile as she spotted Jane, then turned scared as she saw Stacy. Jane took Stacy's hand and stepped forward.

'Ronnie! Good to seeya, kid! This is Stacy, Quinn's good friend, come and say hello.' Ronnie advanced between her sisters until she was face to face with Stacy. 'Ehmmm hi.' She said in a tiny voice.

Stacy had obviously been holding back as all her words suddenly came out in a rush. 'Ohmigod! Hi! Hi! It's wonderful to meet you! Quinn's told me so much about you I've been dying to meet you it's so great you came home welcome I mean it's your house but it must be so nice for you to have a home to come to I've been really looking forward to meeting you me and Quinn are going to take you shopping for clothes your Mom said it's OK and now I see you have such gorgeous hair and with your green eyes you'll look great in...'

Daria interrupted. 'Jane, would you mind fetching a pail of cold water... ice cold please.'

'Yeth Mithreth, I'll fetch ith from the well!' Jane assumed a hunchback pose and started to lurch in the direction of the kitchen. Ronnie snickered and cracked a smile. During her visits it was always Jane who got a smile or laugh from Ronnie but despite a few pangs of jealousy everyone had just been happy to see a smile on the young girl's face. Stacy looked a bit shamefaced but her natural ebullience soon reasserted itself. She shyly held out her hand.

Ronnie looked at Daria who smiled back at her and relinquished her hand so she could shake Stacy's.

'Would you like anything, Ronnie? Are you thirsty?' Daria asked.

'Could I have a cola? Please.'

'Of course.' Daria replied.

'I'm on it.' Jane called from the kitchen. 'Anyone else? Jake, Helen? There's a pot of coffee on.'

Ronnie's parents had been hanging back by the front door watching. Helen came forward at that. 'Why thank you Jane, that would be lovely. I thought we'd just have a snack and then go out somewhere nice for dinner, everyone's invited.'

'I'll get the bags.' Jake called going back out the door.

'I'll give you a hand, Dad.' Daria said. 'Quinn, why don't you show Ronnie her room.'

'Yeah, c'mon Ronz, let's go upstairs, thanks Jane.' This as Jane passed out cans of soda. The three girls headed up the stairs.

Out at the car Daria stopped her father. 'OK Dad, spill it, what did the doctor say?'

Jake's shoulders slumped, he turned and sat on the bumper of Helen's gentrified urban assault vehicle. He scratched his head and took his time before answering. 'Well... there's not much you don't already know. She's to be watched at all times, there's still a risk... slight... that's what the doctor said... a slight risk that she might...  
Then there's the possibility that she might... freak out in a strange place... that's why the doc said one of us should be with her all the time... to give her a point of reference, something familiar...  
We're prepared to put her in the car and bring her straight back if we have to... even if it's three o'clock in the morning.'

Daria nodded as she absorbed this. 'That's good actually, Dad... well thought out... I'll take the middle watch... that's midnight til four Dad. I can sleep on in the morning, you guys look bushed.'

'Thanks Kiddo, but you don't have to...'

'Yes. I do Dad. I really do.' Jake studied her face for a moment, then nodded, accepting her need.

They grabbed the few bags and went back into the house and up the stairs.

'...but Sweetie.' Helen was saying. 'I had this room decorated especially for you, in your favorite colors! It's just like your old room in Highland!' This was exactly the wrong thing to say as Ronnie fled in tears into another room and slammed the door, Daria's door.

'What...?' Jake asked.

'She doesn't like her room Dad.' Quinn answered. 'She prefers Daria's! We didn't even want her to see in there in case it gave her... you know what I mean!'

They all stood around looking at each other until Jane snorted, grabbed Daria's arm, dragged her to her room, opened the door, shoved her in and closed it firmly then stood with her back to it, arms folded.

Ronnie was on Daria's bed, her knees drawn up and her face hidden. She was rocking ever so slightly forward and back.

'Hi Ronnie, welcome to my room. Pretty cool huh? Mom keeps threatening to redecorate but I drop a hint that I might become an exotic dancer if she does so she leaves it alone.'

This earned her a little giggle, though the younger girl kept her head down.

'Jane reckons I like it because I get so annoyed with everybody that if I had hard walls I'd have a permanent headache. She doesn't know about me rockin out to AC/DC in my underwear at 3a.m.'

This actually got a laugh. Ronnie looked at Daria now. 'Are we... am I still an annoying little brat?'

Daria swallowed but kept her composure. After a mini ice age she said. 'Absolutely yes, you are.'

Ronnie nodded. 'Can I stay here?'

'You want me to move into Barbie's house? Are you m...mmm... Are you serious?'

'No, yes and yes.'

'What?'

'No I don't want you to move out, yes I am mad, crazy, insane, whatever... and yes I am serious, can I stay here?'

'I snore.'

'I know. I fart.' Daria couldn't help but smile.

'Jane often...'

'There's room, that little bed in there would fit there, you could still open the closet... so?'

'Sure, I guess... sure. Quinn's gonna be...'

'Do you care?'

'Actually... I do, a bit... but don't tell her, wouldn't want her getting a complex.'

'Another one you mean, she already thinks she's God's gift.'

'I've seen her worshippers, maybe she is.' Daria quipped.

Ronnie shrugged and laid out on the bed. 'Wouldn't that be the pits? What's with that Stacy? She could talk for America if it was an Olympic sport.'

'She's ok as it happens. She's the only one of Quinn's friends worth the name so maybe cut her some slack, huh?'

'I guess, she's not Jane though, is she?'

'No... but nobody is, I lucked out there, she's one in a million, a real friend.'

'Just a friend?'

'What do you mean Missy?'

'You know what I mean... are you and she... it's ok, I have no problem with that, a couple of girls in the home were...' Ronnie was obviously serious about this.

'No. We're not. Friends... best friends. That's enough, more than enough... besides that's none of your business if I... or didn't... I'm into guys ok? I just don't have any.'

'What about Beavis and Butthead? They used to follow you around like dogs after a bitch in heat.'

'Don't you ever mention them to me again... or I'll move you into Quinn's room!'

'Eeuwww! No thanks. But why don't you have a boyfriend?'

'Haven't met him yet. My standards are pretty high, I have a different sliding scale of attractiveness to Quinn and most fail the IQ test.'

'They can't all be that dumb.' Ronnie said, her interest obviously more than just in Daria's love life.

'No, of course not. But in Lawndale High the bright one's are either taken, socially inept Mommy's boys, hygienically challenged... or Upchuck.'

'Who?'

'Upchuck. Ginger haired super creep, lecher, roue, ne'er do well, vomit inducing bicycle saddle fondler.'

'Hey, what have you got against gingers?'

'Quinn poisoned that well, sorry.'

'Hmph.'

'C'mon, let's go move your bed in here before Mom calls somebody.'

Ronnie rose up and stood beside her. 'Are you sure it's ok for me to stay here?' Daria nodded firmly. Ronnie sighed. 'Thanks.' She said. 'It'll make it easier for you to watch me anyhow.'

Daria was startled but tried not to show it. Ronnie looked at her with a resigned expression. 'I'm not stupid, you know... I am your sister after all.'

Daria had to smile. She took her sister's hand and gave it a squeeze. 'Yes Ronnie, yes you are, ready? Let's go then.'

It was a good Summer in Lawndale. All the Morgendorffers, even Daria, laughed a lot. Ronnie never went back to the hospital except for check-ups, she still had two sisters and had been adopted by two more. Jane's drawing from the hospital hung framed over the other bed in Daria's room surrounded by Ronnie's own sketches. Her easel stood in the corner and she and Jane often painted together.

In her diary at the beginning of the school year Daria wrote._ 'Well here I am, a Junior at Lawndale High "plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose" at least as far as school is concerned. Ronnie's tutors got her up to speed and she's starting as a sophomore in middle school as she would have if she'd never...' Daria deleted what she'd typed and instead wrote. 'If she'd never gotten sick. She is my sister, dammit, I thought I was the smart one! Even Quinn is making an effort, she doesn't want to be the dummy in the family, I actually think getting thrown out of that stupid fashion club was good for her, maybe gave her some perspective._  
_Ronnie is still in my room. I don't mind. I did at first, I'm fond of my moments of solitude but I'm so happy she's out of that hospital and back in my family. Look at me all mushy, thank God nobody reads this, I have my reputation to uphold._  
_A lot of people have asked me about this "new" sister that came out of nowhere. I don't say too much because one day, after I go to college, Ronnie is going to come to this school so she deserves some privacy but on the other hand it's unfair to her and all those other people in her situation to sweep it under the carpet. One in four people under eighteen suffer from some sort of psychological disorder, that's more than those with physical disabilities, far more than the number of people who are gay, far more than people who are left handed numbers, numbers, numbers... what I'm trying to say here is that when people ask I tell them, my sister had a mental disorder but she's much better now and hopefully will remain so._  
_We **DO** talk about it...'_


End file.
